Snake kills Deltona family's pet Chihuahua

DELTONA, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - The Quiles Family, of Deltona, is missing their pet Chihuahua Cachi.  She died Sunday afternoon after an encounter with a coral snake.  Eliud Quiles says it was a scary ordeal.

"When I came outside, I see my dog barking at the ground, so I'm like, ok there has to be something on the ground there," he said. 

It was a  two-and-a-half-foot coral snake, which Quiles then killed.  Though he didn't notice any bite marks on Cachi, he says she started staggering and walking into things.  

He brought her to a veterinarian, but he was told it was already too late. The nearest animal hospital with anti venom was more than an hour away.  So, he and his family said goodbye to Cachi.

"We miss her, cuz waking up today, not seeing her. Today is kinda like out of place."

He says he is thankful Cachi tried to protect them, expressing concern that one of his children or his wife might have been in her place. 

"If it wasn't the dog it could have been one of us or our kids."